Union Minister for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Jitan Ram Manjhi on Monday inaugurated the MSME, KVIC and COIR Pavilions in Hall Number 6, and the NSSH Pavilion in Hall Number 5 at the 44th India International Trade Fair (IITF) at Bharat Mandapam.
The event was also attended by Shobha Karandlaje, Minister of State in the Ministry of MSME and Ministry of Labour and Employment, and Manoj Kumar, Chairman of the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC).
SCL Das, Secretary, Ministry of MSME, accompanied the delegates. Senior officers from the Ministry of MSME, the Office of the Development Commissioner (MSME), the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC), the National Small Industries Corporation (NSIC) and the COIR Board were also present on the occasion.
Following the inauguration, Union Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi and Minister of State Shobha Karandlaje visited stalls in the pavilions and witnessed live demonstrations of various traditional manufacturing processes, encouraging participants and exhibitors.
The MSME Pavilion, themed “Vibrant MSMEs, Viksit Bharat,” highlights the role of MSMEs in driving inclusive growth and contributing to the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat.
The product segments on display include textiles, handloom, handicrafts, green and eco-friendly products, products made by Vishwakarmas, glass and ceramics, leather goods, beauty products, metal crafts, games and toys, dry fruits, food products, coir products and several other unique offerings from across the country.
The Coir Board Pavilion features participation from 31 exhibitors from various parts of the country, showcasing the skills and craftsmanship of coir workers in producing a variety of unique handicrafts, handmade toys, ornaments and other items.
The range displayed at the pavilion also includes traditional coir products such as handloom coir mats, mattings, rubberised mattresses, coir handicrafts, carpets, coir pith, and coir geo-textiles.
The fair provides opportunities to entrepreneurs in the coir sector to showcase their products to a wide range of potential customers, foster B2B and B2C collaborations and create new avenues for growth and self-reliance.
The Khadi India Pavilion, based on the theme “Viksit Bharat @ 2047,” includes 150 exhibitors from various states and Union Territories, exhibiting products of Khadi and Village Industries. These encompass 63 Khadi institutions, 81 units assisted under the Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP) and six units under the Scheme of Fund for Regeneration of Traditional Industries (SFURTI).
The Khadi India Pavilion also supports 101 representatives from SC/ST/OBC communities and 47 women entrepreneurs, who are exhibiting their products and showcasing the spirit of Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat.
The National SC-ST Hub (NSSH) Pavilion in Hall Number 5 is showcasing products of SC/ST entrepreneurs across 35 stalls.
The pavilion features exhibitors from 10 states, namely Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Delhi, Assam, Karnataka, Punjab, Jharkhand, Telangana, Himachal Pradesh and Nagaland. Footwear, sports goods, handicrafts, bamboo products, food products, machine components and leather goods are available for sale at the pavilion.